Phalaenopsis orchid plant named ‘PHALFTEQ’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘PHALFTEQ’, particularly characterized by having white flowers with a purple fleck at the center, fresh green buds, and fading purple flecks on the lip, 1 to 3 peduncles that are medium long and moderate, leaves that are oblong, and is propagated by meristem tissue culture, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Phalaenopsis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘PHALFTEQ’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPhalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis hybrid of theOrchidaceae family, commonly referred to as moth orchid, and hereinafterreferred to by the variety name ‘PHALFTEQ’.

The new Phalaenopsis plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The objectiveof this breeding program was to create a new Phalaenopsis plant withnumerous attractive and unique white flowers with a purple fleck at thecenter, fresh green buds, and fading purple flecks on the lip, suitablefor potted plant production.

The new Phalaenopsis plant ‘PHALFTEQ’ is a result of cross-pollinationmade by the inventor in January 2008 in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands ofthe proprietary female, or seed parent, Phalaenopsis hybrid ‘01-5017’(unpatented) with the proprietary male, or pollen parent, Phalaenopsishybrid ‘20421-01’ (unpatented).

The new Phalaenopsis was selected by the inventor as a single plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands in January 2011. Asexualreproduction of the new Phalaenopsis plant by meristem tissue culturesince 2013 in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands, has demonstrated that the newvariety reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, asherein described, firmly fixed and retained through successivegenerations.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this variety have been applied for in Europeon Sep. 13, 2016. ‘PHALFTEQ’ has not been made publicly available orsold anywhere in the world more than one year prior to the filing dateof this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands and can be used todistinguish ‘PHALFTEQ’ as a new and distinct variety of Phalaenopsisplant.

-   -   1) White flowers with a purple fleck at the center, fresh green        buds, and fading purple flecks on the lip;    -   2) 1 to 3 peduncles;    -   3) Peduncle is medium long and moderate; and    -   4) Shape of the leaf is oblong.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Phalaenopsis plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs which show the overall plant habit including blooms, budsand foliage of the plant; the colors shown are as true as can bereasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. Thephotographs were taken in a greenhouse in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands,from 50-week old plants in December 2016. Colors in the photographs maydiffer from the color values cited in the detailed botanicaldescription, which accurately describe the actual colors of the newvariety.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit, including blooms, buds and foliageof ‘PHALFTEQ’.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of a flower of ‘PHALFTEQ’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the leaves of ‘PHALFTEQ’.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘PHALFTEQ’. Plants of the new Phalaenopsis have notbeen observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotypemay vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature,light intensity and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype. The chart used in the identification of colors describedherein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society,London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms ofordinary significance are used. The color values were determined under4000-6000 lux natural light in a greenhouse in Bleiswijk, TheNetherlands. Observations and measurements were made in December 2016 on50-week old plants which were planted from a nursery tray in 12centimeter (diameter) pots and grown in a greenhouse between 27° C. to29° C. for 30 weeks, continued by a cooling period of 8 weeks between18° C. to 20° C. and 12 weeks in a greenhouse of 21° C.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Orchidaceae.        -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis hybrid.        -   Common name.—Moth orchid.        -   Variety name.—‘PHALFTEQ’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘01-5017’ (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘20421-01’ (unpatented).-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Meristem tissue culture.-   Roots:    -   -   Root description.—Greyed-green colored roots (RHS 190B/C)            with branching lateral roots having light green colored root            tips (RHS 145B/C).-   Plant:    -   -   Commercial crop time to flowering.—Approximately 48 to 50            weeks from a rooted cutting to finish in a 12 cm pot.        -   Growth habit of peduncle.—Standard, green leaves, panicle.        -   Height (from soil level to top of            inflorescence).—Approximately 37.0 cm to 47.0 cm.        -   Width (measured from leaf tips).—About 30.0 cm to 34.0 cm.        -   Vigor.—Strong.-   Leaves:    -   -   Mature leaves.—Quantity per plant: 5 to 8 leaves are            produced before flowering. Length (fully expanded): 15.0 cm            to 18.0 cm. Width: 8.0 cm to 9.0 cm. Shape: Oblong. Base            shape: Moderately elongated. Apex: Unequal obtuse. Leaf            blade angle with the petiole (measured from the horizontal            position): Between 5 degrees and 20 degrees. Leaf margin:            Entire. Color: Upper surface: RHS 147A. Lower surface: RHS            147B with fading dark red edge (RHS 187A). Texture: Slightly            rough. Thickness: 2.4 mm to 2.7 mm. Venation: Pattern:            Parallel. Color of the midvein: Upper surface: RHS 147A.            Lower surface: RHS 187A.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Quantity per plant.—1 to 3.        -   Number of flowers per peduncle.—14 to 22.        -   Length.—38.0 cm to 43.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—4.2 mm to 4.7 mm.        -   Strength.—Moderate.        -   Aspect.—Upright to slightly pendant.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Color.—Mix of brown (RHS 200A) and green (RHS 147B).        -   Internode length.—50.0 mm to 60.0 mm.        -   Callosities.—None.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Upright to slightly pendant, panicle            inflorescence with bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open            in succession beginning with the lowermost flower.        -   Inflorescence size.—Height (from base to tip): 170.0 mm to            220.0 mm.        -   Flowering time.—First flowers can be expected 10 to 11            months after planting in a 12 cm (diameter) pot.        -   Flower.—Height: 70.0 mm to 75.0 mm. Diameter: 80.0 mm to            85.0 mm. Depth of lip: 20.0 mm to 22.0 mm.        -   Flower longevity.—On the plant: 9 to 15 weeks.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Flower bud.—Average size: Medium to large. Length: 20.0 mm            to 22.0 mm. Width: 16.0 mm to 18.0 mm. Shape: Egg shaped.            Color: Green (RHS 144C) and dark purple at the base (RHS            N79A).        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Open/free. Shape: Semi-circular. Apex:            Obtuse asymmetric. Margin: Entire. Length (from base to            tip): 35.0 mm to 37.0 mm. Width: 35.0 mm to 37.0 mm. Color            (when fully opened): Upper surface: Basic color: White (RHS            NN155C). Over color: Purple-red fleck (RHS N79C) at the            base. Lower surface: Basic color: White (RHS NN155C). Over            color: Fading purple fleck (RHS N79D) at the base.        -   Dorsal sepal.—Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Slightly emarginated.            Margin: Entire. Length (from base to tip): 40.0 mm to            42.0 mm. Width: 26.0 mm to 28.0 mm. Color (when fully            opened): Upper surface: Basic color: White (RHS NN155C).            Over color: Small purple-red fleck (RHS N79D) at the base.            Lower surface: Basic color: White (RHS NN155C). Over color:            Small purple-red fleck at the base (RHS N79D).        -   Lateral sepals.—Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse asymmetric.            Margin: Entire. Length (from base to tip): 41.0 mm to            43.0 mm. Width: 23.0 mm to 25.0 mm. Color (when fully            opened): Upper surface: Basic color: White (RHS NN155C).            Over color: Light green (RHS 145C/D) and purple-red fleck at            the base and a few dots (RHS N79C). Lower surface: Basic            color: White (RHS NN155C). Over color: Light green (RHS            145C/D) and purple-red at the base (RHS N79C).        -   Labellum (lip).—Whiskers: Present. Length of whiskers: 4.0            mm to 6.0 mm. Color of whiskers: White. Pubescence on the            lip: Absent.        -   Lateral lobe.—Shape: Type IV (as described in the            International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of            Plants (UPOV) Test Guidelines for Phalaenopsis); weakly            spatulate. Margin: Entire. Length: 16.0 mm to 18.0 mm.            Width: 10.0 mm to 12.0 mm. Color: Dark red at the base (RHS            187B/C) with white on one side (RHS NN155C) and purple on            the other side (RHS 77B) with reddish edge (RHS 184C).        -   Apical lobe.—Shape: Trullate. Margin: Entire. Length: 19.0            mm to 21.0 mm. Width: 16.0 mm to 18.0 mm. Color:            Purple-red/pink (RHS 186B/C) at the base with dark red            stripe in the middle (RHS 187A) and purple fleck (RHS 72A);            white (RHS NN155C) toward the whiskers.        -   Callus.—Average size: Small. Height: 0.4 cm to 0.5 cm.            Length: 0.3 cm to 0.4 cm. Width: 0.3 cm to 0.4 cm. Color:            Dark red (RHS 187A).        -   Reproductive organs.—Column: Length: 9.0 mm to 11.0 mm.            Diameter: 4.5 mm to 5.0 mm. Color: White (RHS NN155C).            Pollinia: Quantity: 2. Diameter: 0.9 mm to 1.1 mm. Color:            Orange (RHS 25A). Ovary: Length: 6.0 mm to 8.0 mm. Diameter:            2.1 mm to 2.3 mm. Pedicel: Length: 34.0 mm to 36.0 mm.            Diameter: 2.5 mm to 2.7 mm. Color: Light green (RHS 144B/C)            and slightly light purple (RHS N78D) toward the flower.-   Disease, pest, and stress resistance: No specific resistance or    susceptibility observed to pathogens and pests common to    Phalaenopsis.-   Fruit and seeds: Fruit and seed development has not been observed on    plants of the new Phalaenopsis.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL VARIETIES

The female parent plant of ‘PHALFTEQ’, cultivar ‘01-5017’ (unpatented),is no longer in existence, so a meaningful comparison cannot be made.

The male parent plant of ‘PHALFTEQ’, cultivar ‘20421-01’ (unpatented),is not available, so a meaningful comparison cannot be made.

‘PHALFTEQ’ is most similar to the commercial Phalaenopsis plants named‘PHALIFSIB’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,459) and ‘PHALFUNEL’ (unpatented).‘PHALFTEQ’ differs from the commercial variety ‘PHALIFSIB’ in that‘PHALFTEQ’ has a center flower pattern and an apical lobe withpurple-red/pink at the base, dark-red stripe in the middle and purplefleck with white toward the whiskers, whereas ‘PHALIFSIB’ has a dottedflower pattern and a white apical lobe with yellow-green toward thecallus and brown edge at the base. Additionally, ‘PHALFTEQ’ has smallerflowers and much shorter whiskers than ‘PHALIFSIB’.

‘PHALFTEQ’ differs from the commercial variety ‘PHALFUNEL’ in that‘PHALFTEQ’ has a center flower pattern and an apical lobe withpurple-red/pink at the base, dark-red stripe in the middle and purplefleck with white toward the whiskers, whereas ‘PHALFUNEL’ has a fleckedflower pattern and a white apical lobe with yellow wings and a stripe inthe middle. Additionally, ‘PHALFTEQ’ has smaller flowers and shorterwhiskers than ‘PHALFUNEL’.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Phalaenopsis plant named‘PHALFTEQ’, substantially as described and illustrated herein.